dagblog - Comments for "Tough Choices -- Facing Genocide in the Levant"

...The scale of its use of

artappraiser — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 01:15:13 +0000

In reply to Tough Choices -- Facing Genocide in the Levant

...The scale of its use of brute violence against ethnic and religious groups is unprecedented in recent times...

One is put in mind of the

jollyroger — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 06:28:05 +0000

In reply to The story you are about to

One is put in mind of the story (perhaps apocryphal...) wherein Joseph Smith, having informed his wife that in order to decipher the sacred golden tablets of the Angel Moroni, he was required to place them in a hat.

Wife: Joseph, that was my father's hat, and now it's all dirty inside!

The story you are about to

Bruce Levine — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 23:24:46 +0000

In reply to MIchael, Thanks for posting

The story you are about to read is true and just took place:

Spouse: Oh, I finally read that article you wrote last week.

Me: Really, what did you think?

Spouse: It was OK but I'm so pissed about that vet bill! 173 dollars? That's insane!

Thanks Michael, not sure if

Bruce Levine — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 13:48:20 +0000

In reply to It's a great piece. Thanks

Thanks Michael, not sure if it's a great piece, but I am really happy with hearing from so many different folks in the comments. Whatever our views, I think it's an important discussion. More importantly, hard to understand how anyone thinking about these things could not be conflicted. Pretty clear we can stipulate that genocide is a horrible thing.

On the book, I, um, didn't quite finish because I sort of burnt out last night after a lovely but busy weekend. But I am up in Candidate Taft's hotel room right now as his nomination at the GOP convention is 1908 is coming through on the ticker tape, and I just sense that things aren't going to work out the way this new TR you introduce to us -- this practical man -- anticipates. Something tells me things are going to get a little bit stressful among the coalition of reasonable and unreasonable folks!. What a wonderful read Michael. Lots of stuff I want to say when I'm done, but really nice work.

On the La Follette thing in law school, Madison as you know is not big like DC and it wasn't unusual for anyone to see a politician or someone like La Follette around the Capitol. But I loved working as a law clerk in the AG's office. I worked with some wonderful people, and I think I can say that one of the reasons I chose to study in Madison so many years ago was because I just knew I would sense the spirit of the progressive pioneers who used Madison as their base.

Australian Prime Minister

artappraiser — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 06:40:09 +0000

In reply to Tough Choices -- Facing Genocide in the Levant

Australian Prime Minister Abbott on Iraq: 'Doing nothing means leaving millions exposed to death'
By Daniel Hurst, theguardian.com, 1 Sept., 2014

Prime minister says Australia has no intention to commit combat troops on the ground but ‘is not inclined to stand by’

It's a great piece. Thanks

Michael Wolraich — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 05:19:10 +0000

In reply to MIchael, Thanks for posting

It's a great piece. Thanks for posting. I've spend the last few days floating down the Delaware River, so I apologize for not participating in the fascinating discussion you provoked. Will try to comment tomorrow, though I feel too conflicted to be coherent.

I hope you enjoy the book, and I look forward to the review. Cool La Follette connection. I don't know anything about the family after Bob Jr.

Thanks especially for the

artappraiser — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 04:43:52 +0000

In reply to Although I doubt that any

Thanks especially for the last link. Turns out the the UN Human Rights council meeting today focused especially on a new targeting of children. The story is the lead on the UN's news site right now:

Grave crimes committed on 'unimaginable scale' in Iraq, UN Human Rights Council told

UN News Centre, Sept. 1, 2014

United Nations officials today urged an immediate end to the acts of violence and abuses committed against civilians in Iraq, particularly against children and people from various ethnic and religious communities, as the Human Rights Council met to discuss the ongoing crisis.

Excerpt, note the phrase I have marked in bold, the most reported violation by ISIL was the killing and maiming of children:

Children belonging to ethnic and religious communities targeted by ISIL have endured particularly extensive violations of their rights,” she added.

Christian, Yezidi, Turkmen, Shabak, Kaka'e, Sabaeans and Shi'a communities have been targeted through “particularly brutal persecution,” as ISIL has ruthlessly carried out what she said may amount to ethnic and religious cleansing in areas under its control.

“The full extent of casualties is difficult to determine. Many have been killed directly; others have been besieged and deprived of food, water or medication,” she stated.

Ms. Pansieri also voiced concern at the situation of civilians who remain in areas under ISIL control, particularly in cities such as Fallujah, Ramadi, Tikrit, Tal Afar and Mosul.

“Their living conditions are intolerable. Medical facilities lack medicine and basic supplies, and health sector employees have not received a salary for months. Reports indicate a near-total breakdown in rule of law and an increase in criminality in Mosul and other cities. This insecurity compounds the difficulty for the civilian populations to access essential services.”

OHCHR has also received reports that in recent months the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and anti-ISIL armed groups have perpetrated violations of human rights and humanitarian law that may amount to war crimes, the official noted.

“I am profoundly concerned at the grave impact the current conflict is having on civilians, including children and people from Iraq's ancient and diverse ethnic and religious communities. Systematic and intentional attacks on civilians may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. Individuals, including commanders are responsible for these acts.”

Leila Zerrougui, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, told the Council that the most reported violation by ISIL was the killing and maiming of children: 693 child casualties have been reported since the beginning of the year.

There are also reports – both verified and as-yet unverified – of children, especially young boys, being executed by armed opposition groups, including ISIL; of schools and hospitals being destroyed; and of young girls from minority groups being abducted for the purposes of sexual violence and forced marriage.

“The images that we see through media reporting of indiscriminate and brutal killings of civilians, including children is deplorable,” she stated.

“While violations against children have sadly been a consequence of the instability in Iraq over the years, the impact of the armed violence on children has reached unprecedented levels during the current crisis.”

This is an Al Jazeera op-ed

Bruce Levine — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 02:41:02 +0000

In reply to Tough Choices -- Facing Genocide in the Levant

This is an Al Jazeera op-ed piece that considers the "responsibility to protect" doctrine in connection with the current plight of the Yazidis. Certainly aligns with what has been written in many of the comments. The writer Daniel Solomon concludes:

As with many modern institutions charged with preserving the rights of civilians, RtoP seeks to make war more humane. But in the end, the protection of civilians through better violence is a fool’s errand.

If the most important

Peter — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 02:36:33 +0000

In reply to I came to this piece on the

If the most important strategic lesson DD learned from the Iraq and Afghan Wars was not to BS the Amerikan public I think he needs a remedial reality check. All the Ruling Class needs to do is stir up a little xenophobia and fear and the US is ready to bomb almost anyone. Once the mayhem begins there is almost nothing we can do to stop it because no one, in positions of power, actually listens to the public. This little missive reeks of Amerikan exceptionalism, arrogance and the never ending mantra of our indispensability. If only we had been more committed to the program we could have really won in Iraq, Vietnam, Afghanistan etc. Again we are being conditioned for another "conflict" in the neverending WOT and we may destroy the whole ME this time before we again retreat in defeat.

I came to this piece on the

A Guy Called LULU — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 20:18:22 +0000

In reply to Tough Choices -- Facing Genocide in the Levant

I came to this piece on the recommendation by Heather Hurlburt in a conversation with Daniel Drezner on Bloggingheads TV. I think it is well worth reading by anyone interested enough to offer an opinion on the ME situation.

This is the most important strategic lesson from Iraq: Don’t bullshit the American people into a war with shifting objectives (even if those goals are important) because they will not put up with that commitment long enough for those goals to be achieved.

http://warontherocks.com/2014/08/dont-bs-the-american-people-about-iraq-...

The entire BloggingheadsTV interview, also recommended, can be heard here.

http://bloggingheads.tv/videos/30613